1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to an access box cover, and more particularly to an access box cover with a lock that is integral with the cover or is retro fit onto existing access box covers.
2. State of the Art
In-ground enclosures and access boxes are often used to provide access to valves that control a water main, such as city water mains and private water mains which are buried under or near streets. The valves within the access box may be used to shut-off the water main or isolate lateral lines that branch off of the main for such reasons as working on the water system or the structure fed by the main or localizing a leak within the water main and branching lines. Often times, this is accomplished by use of an access pipe that extends into the access box, wherein the access pipe provides for the use of a tool to open and close the valve of the water main.
In-ground enclosures and access boxes are also used to provide access to meters that track the water usage by a particular site or user location, such as a home or an office. The meters are frequently accessed by employees of utility companies, so as to prepare an accurate accounting of the water usage of the particular site.
Conventional access boxes have covers that are used to prevent or limit debris from entering the access box, but also serve to protect the valves and meters from damage and to limit access to the valves or meters. Conventional covers are placed over the in-ground enclosure box or access box and commonly do not have a lock for retaining the cover in place over the in-ground enclosure box or access box. They simply rest on a lip within the in-ground enclosure box or access box.
Some other access box covers have locks, but suffer from other limitations, such as, but not limited to, being pried open and/or broken. Conventional access box covers with locks are also lacking in areas such as limiting access to the locking mechanism and functionality of the lock. Because of the limitations of the conventional access box covers with locks, unauthorized individuals may access and often damage the valves. This damage most often results in water loss and/or damage that further causes unplanned financial burdens and wasted resources. Accordingly, there is a need in the field of access box covers for an improved locking access box cover to minimize unauthorized access to the access box to further prevent water loss, damage, lost time and effort.